Your Physique, Vol 6, No 2, Page 8, September 1946
DETROIT, Michigan, was the busy scene of two events of national importance the weekend of June 1st and 2nd. The Motor City celebrated its "Golden Jubilee" Week of 50 years of automotive progress, and it was host city to the 1946 A.A.U. Senior National Weightlifting Championships and "Mr. America Contest.
It was quite a sight for visiting weightlifting enthusiasts to arrive in the Motor City and find Woodward Avenue painted gold for a mile of its length downtown! Those not in the know thought it a rather elaborate welcome for a weightlifting meet, until they realized that it had been painted for the Automotive Golden Jubilee. Nevertheless, it added considerable to the festivity of the affair.
Competition in the lifting events and "Mr. America" contest was particularly keen after the war years, and most of those present agreed that it was the best meet in a long period of fine competitions. The Boys' Club of Detroit and the Michigan A.A.U. presented a beautifully organized and operated program, and the fine big gym of the Boy's Club was packed to capacity at every session. That the meet was held at all after the nation-wide upsets of the coal and railroad strikes, and with Detroit packed and crowded with the Jubilee celebrations, was a tribute to hard work and enthusiasm on the part of the Michigan A.A.U. and Boys' Club officials. That it should have been such a success was due largely to the efforts of C. H. Brennan, Secretary, and E. A. Wright, Chairman, of the A.A.U. and the Boys' Club. And also to the enthusiastic crowd of contestants, many of whom were experiencing their first competition since returning from the service.
(weightlifting report skipped)
(weightlifting report skipped)
Competition for the "Mr. America Subdivisions" to select the best back, best chest, etc., was especially keen. Twenty competitors in all were entered, including such well-known muscle men as Gene Jantzen, Kimon Voyages, Joe Lauriano, Sam Loprinzi, Leo Stern, Vic Nicoletti, Abe Goldberg, and the "dark horse" Al Steponaitis competing under his new family name of Stephan. A little difficulty was experienced at first when the lights provided for the benefit of the photographers present at the meet were found to "flatten out" the definition of the first few contestants, and they were changed for a pair of overhead spotlights. It was unfortunate that the first three competitors had to be judged under this lighting, as readers may be able to determine from analysis of the photograph of the winners of the "Mr America Subdivisions"; particularly since the "Best Chest" judging led off - a body classification in which lighting is particularly important. The first three competitors were Kimon Voyages, John McWilliams, and Alan Stephan. However, the judges were careful and thoughtful, and undoubtedly awarded the titles as they saw them.
In the "Best Chest" Division, the judges called back Gene Janzten, Sam Loprinzi, Joe Lauriano, John McWilliams, Vic Nicoletti, and John Verbotnik [sic]. Handsome likeable Gene Janzten possessed admirable symmetry and good bulk, plus beautiful posing ability. Loprinzi had amazing bulk, and a pair of pectorials like watermelons. John Verbotnik had bulk, symmetry, and definition, as did Lauriano, and Nicoletti. McWilliams possessed amazing bulk. In a close decision, the title for the "BEST CHEST" Division was awarded to John Verbotnik of Fritsche's Gym, Philadelphia, with Sam Loprinzi a very close second.
The "Best Arms" Division boiled down to a contest between Abe Goldberg of the East Side Barbell Club of New York; Sam Loprinzi of York; John McWilliams of the Columbus, Ohio, Athletic Club; Leo Stern, "Mr. California" representing the Progressive Health Training Club of San Diego, California; and John Farbotnik of Fritsche's Gym. Despite Loprinzi's amazing definition and bulk, and John Farbotnik's symmetry, definition, and bulk, John McWilliams' might arms stood out well above the nearest competitor. We tried to get a measure of them, but lacking that, have had to guess their size. However, it is quite possible that they measure 20" or more.
Competitors for the "Best Abdominals" were boiled down to these four after elimination by the judges: Abe Goldberg; Vic Nicoletti representing the Brooklyn Central "Y"; Joe Lauriano, "Mr. Honolulu", of York; and Everett Sinderoff of Fall River, Massachusetts. Al Stephan did not compete in this class, although many looked to him to take the prize. Abe Goldberg's definition and muscle control were phenomenal, but he was nosed out by Joe Lauriano, who thus won the title for "Best Abdominals" two years in a row.
Far and away the "Best Back" at the meet was that of Al Stephan, who was later to win the title of "Mr. America". Against such stellar competition as Sam Loprinzi, Vic Nicoletti, Everett Sinderoff, and John Farbotnik, Al's mighty back muscles easily walked away with the title. By the time of judging this event, the lighting errors had been rectified, and Stephan's amazing bulk, definition, and symmetry stood out like Hercules himself. The decision of the judges was unanimous in awarding "Best Back" to Al Stephans.
There remained only the "Best Legs" division to complete the session. Here, too, competition was keen, with handsome Abe Goldberg, Leo "Mr. California" Stern, Joe "Honolulu" Lauriano, Kimon Voyages, and John Farbotnik all likely contenders. All five were called back by the judges. Leo Stern had tied for fifth "Best Legs" in the 1945 Nationals in Los Angeles last year, and he had made tremendous gains since then. In an interest-packed decision, the judges awarded that title for "Best Legs" to Kimon Voyages of New York, making him again the winner of the title he won last year.
(weightlifting report skipped)
(weightlifting report skipped)
Then came the moment for which most of the audience had waited: the big 1946 "MR. AMERICA" contest. Judges were well-qualified men: Harry Paschall of Columbus, Ohio; Chester Teegarden, Weightlifting Coach at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana; the well-known Art Gay of Rochester, New York; Fred Hoffmeister of Hoffmeister's Gym, Indianapolis, Indiana; and Emmett Faris of Cincinatti, Ohio, and the National Weightlifting Committee.
Again came the unfortunate mix-up in lighting arrangements. The newsreel cameramen required strong lighting for their movies, and had set up a battery of lights that drenched the platform in brilliant white light. However ideal this may have been for newsreel photographs, it was very poor for muscle posing, as it flattened out all semblance of definition in a white glare. Some of the early contestants had already come on and posed before the lighting problems were ironed out, a weighty problem involving much free advice shouted out by everyone: audience, judges, and contestants alike, and ending in the erection of a ladder on the platform to adjust the overhead lights. Finally everyone was satisfied, and the contest went on.
Kimon Voyages - "Mr. Legs" - had the lead-off spot: a tough position to fill. Voyages filled it "but good" with fine posing, those mighty thighs of his like knotted cables. Next came John McWilliams "Big John" of the might arms and chest. A big man all over, McWilliams made up in bulk what he lacked in definition. Then handsome blond Al Stephan came on. Al's poses were beautifully planned, and his smile caused many a sigh among the gals in the audience. Al possesses a chest and rib box development that is phenomenal, and he has the capacity of expanding it and projecting it to little short of enormous size. Regardless of the judges' opinions, many a feminine heart in the audience had already selected its own personal "Mr. America" by the time Al left the platform! Casimir M. Dubel of Detroit was next, a well-proportioned dark-haired lad who with more training and practice should be a likely contender in future meets. Bob McCusie of Amsterdam, New York, followed with a nice series of poses, followed in turn by Orville Wertzbaugher of the U.S. Army at Denver, Colorado, who bounced onto the stage full of pep and vinegar, did a few poses with a mile-wide grin on his face, and bounced off. Had a prize been awarded for pep and personality, Sgt. Orv Wertzbaugher would have had it!
Little Joe DiPietro, four feet ten inches of bulges, paraded on the stage as the next contender, got a good chuckle from the audience, then withdrew for more serious contenders. He was followed by Abe Goldberg, the Brooklyn marvel; Leo Stern, a well-proportioned and muscular "Mr. California", whose blond-red hair and white skin made handsome contrasts under the lights; dark Vic Nicoletti, a very good poser; Everett Sinderoff of Falls River, Mass., who had placed 4th in the 181 pound lifting contest. Next came tall, dark and handsome (!) "Honolulu Joe" Lauriano; Sam Loprinzi, a mass of muscle; collegiate-looking Pete Bonny of Spring Lake, Michigan, with his well-proportioned body and crew-clipped blond hair; followed by 17 year old Joe Thaler of Brooklyn and New York University. Endurance athlete Gene Jantzen and Ed Sheperd of Indianapolis brought up the rear. Jantzen has lost none of his famous posing ability and perfect symmetry, although building a new home by hand for his lovely wife, the former Pat King, had kept him from training for the superb definition he usually possesses.
Even before the official announcement had been made, the audience by some strange quirk knew that ALAN STEPHAN was the new "MR. AMERICA". He was led to the front of the stage, and the photographers' bulbs started popping, the audience cheering and shouting, and the judges trying to make themselves heard in the uproar, as the other four contestants stood uncertainly in the background. Someone led an attractive girl on the stage, and once more the bulbs started popping as the embarrassed and grinning new "Mr. America" had to pose showing her his muscles! Finally the master of ceremonies made himself heard over the uproar long enough to announce the official results: Alan Stephan, the new "Mr. America" by an almost perfect total of 74 out of a possible 75 points; Sam Loprinzi, 2nd with 68 points; Joe Lauriano 3rd with 62 points; Leo Stern 4th with 61; and John Farbotnik 5th with 58 points. By scoring 74 out of a possible 75 points, Stephan had achieved the amazing score of 15 - perfect - with four of the five judges, and missed perfection by only one point with the fifth!
In addition, he had tied with Sam Loprinzi of York for points on muscular development, which determines the "Most Muscular Man" winner! Loprinzi and Stephan both scored a total of 34 points in this classification, and at first it was intended to announce the title of "Most Muscular Man" as a tie until it became necessary to determine who was to be awarded the trophy and medal. By vote of the judges, Sam Loprinzi was declared "Most Muscular Man", and it was so announced over the loud speaker.
It was an excited and enthusiastic crowd that finally left the big Boys' Club Gym at around midnight on Sunday June 2nd, following the meet. It was the unanimous opinion of everyone, contestants, spectators, and judges alike, that it had been the Best Senior National A.A.U. Weightlifting Meet in history.
- Winners in the "Mr. America" contest. Left to right: John Farbotnik, 5th; Joe Lauriano, 3rd; Alan Stephan, Mr. America; Sam Loprinzi, 2nd; and Leo D. Stern, 4th.
- John McWilliams, whos might arm stood out well above the nearest competitor, easily won the "Best Arms" Division. We can expect to hear more about McWilliams, one of the newest supermen.
- John Verbotnik in a pose displaying his deep chest that was awarded "Best Chest." The bulk, symmetry and definition of John Verbotnik's chest, gave him the lead over Sam Loprinzi, who was a close second. [sic, Farbotnik]
- Sam Loprinzi, "Most Muscular Man". Sam was awarded the title after a tie for first place with Alan Stephan, "Mr. America". Both contestants had 34 points in muscular development to determine the title.
- Kimon Voyages repeated his last year's victory by again winning the "Best Legs" award. His closest competitors were Joe Lauriano and Leo Stern. Both his calves and thighs are marvelously developed, true Pillars of Hercules.
- Leo D Stern, "Mr. California of 1946", was placed 4th in the contest. He now has more bulk, definition and symmetry than ever. Leo had a wonderful chance of winning the next year contest if he continues with his hard training.
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